When they don’t receive enough sunshine, succulents swell out. The succulent will first begin to turn and bend in the direction of the light source.
As it grows, the leaves will spread farther apart, making the plant taller.
The leaves are often smaller and paler in color than usual. The succulent will typically turn green or lose the strength of its original color when it is not exposed to sunshine.
This Echeveria ‘Lola’ is beginning to bend toward the light, and it isn’t quite as colorful as it was when I took the photo for the post about top dressings.
The majority of the time, this will occur when succulents are cultivated indoors, but it can also occur outside when succulents are exposed to too much shadow.
How should I proceed if my succulent becomes too tall?
The majority of succulents are graceful low-growing plants that neatly tuck into cracks in rockeries, flower beds, pots, and between pavement stones. Although succulent pruning is not typically necessary, it is a simple procedure that can be used on plants that grow long and lose the compact character that makes them so coveted. Understanding how to trim a leggy succulent can help you get the plant back to the size you want while also giving you plant material for another one of these resilient, simple plants.
When you complain that your plant is too tall, you should regulate it. This could be caused by blooms, leaves, or stalks, and the plant may end up seeming smaller or not fitting into its original location. The type of plant you are growing will determine what to do if your succulents get too tall.
Plants go through a process known as etioliation when they are grown indoors or in other low light environments. The plant is stretching upward to catch more light, which causes the stem to lengthen. Transferring the plant to a southern exposure is the straightforward answer. But that leggy party is still left after this. Fortunately, it is possible to top leggy succulent plants, which will remove the excessively tall portion and encourage the growth of new, more compact shoots.
Can tall succulents be pruned back?
Succulents benefit most from pruning at the start of their growing season, although you can prune them at any time. If you prune around the end of the growing season, new growth might not appear as rapidly, but it will develop gradually and accelerate once they begin to grow vigorously again.
There are numerous succulents that grow best in the summer, but there are also quite a few that grow best in the winter. To determine when your succulents are actively developing, check at this dormancy table.
My succulents are often pruned in the spring, after spending the winter indoors. Typically, they become quite stretched out and lose some of their initial beauty.
I can freshen the arrangement by pruning them without needing to buy new plants. It’s a fantastic approach to grow your garden!
How can I maintain a small plant population?
Are you curious about how to maintain little succulents? Therefore, there are some suggestions that can help you keep your succulents tiny.
To maintain your succulents healthy and small, heed these advice:
Keep the Succulent In a Sunny Spot
Keep succulent plants in a bright area. If they do not receive enough light, they will grow since they require sunlight.
In order for succulents to stay healthy and avoid growing too large, they require six hours of sunlight per day. They can generate the energy they require to remain small with the assistance of the sun’s rays.
When succulents grow too large, it may be difficult for them to absorb enough sunlight to survive.
If you can, put it on a window ledge that faces east or west. Put it near a south-facing window where there is plenty of natural light between noon and mid-afternoon when the sun is at its peak if you are unable to accomplish this.
Remove Any Leaves That Grow off at an Angle
The leaves that branch off at an angle will develop into new shoots, expanding the size of the succulent plant.
Remove any leaves that are growing off at an angle if you want your succulents to stay small because they can sprout new leaves.
Additionally, it’s crucial to get rid of any leaves that don’t match the others in appearance. For the health of your succulents, these should be removed as they are frequently stressed or ill.
Prune Your Succulents Regularly To Prevent the Spread of Overgrowth
Succulents can be made smaller by pruning. The objective is to reduce the size of a large plant that has probably been neglected for a while.
Trim the leaves on your succulent to make it smaller by removing all of the leaves on each side until there are only about an inch remaining. After that, secure the stem with wire and cut off any extra stem so that just the top remains.
Additionally, trimming reduces the number of times per day that this plant must be watered. When there are dry spells or extreme heat, this can prevent plants from becoming overwatered and dying.
Cut Off the Top Of the Succulent
A tall plant should simply have the top chopped off, and any leaves in its way should be removed. This will promote bottom-up development, making it bushy rather than tall.
Additionally, you can pinch off any leaves that are located higher on the plant. Your succulent will take on a more compact shape as a result.
It’s vital to keep in mind that not all succulents respond well to this technique, and others need specific consideration while pruning their stems.
Before choosing how to prune or remove a succulent’s leaves, be sure to know what kind of succulent you have.
Reduce the Root Space
Because it won’t have enough room, doing this will restrict growth, which means your plant won’t get out of its pot as quickly. The amount of area the plant has to develop can be restricted by using a tiny pot.
Prior to purchasing, it’s important to understand how big your succulent will become in its current environment. Try to buy one that is as close to the anticipated size as you can so it doesn’t quickly outgrow the pot.
The plant should be completely covered with potting soil. As a result, the roots won’t have any room to spread out and will remain restricted in a tiny zone, taking up less space in your container.
By adding a layer of terracotta or gravel and potting your succulent in it, you can also reduce the space available for the roots. This will stop roots from spreading out in all directions, which leads them to quickly grow large.
For appropriate support on top of the soil, choose one that is at least half an inch thicker than the diameter of the container holding your plant.
Create layers so that you may subsequently add more plants without disrupting the ones that are currently there. As long as there are intervals between each layer for air circulation and effective drainage, a few inches of depth should be sufficient.
Cut Back on Watering and Fertilizing
Reduce watering and fertilizing to avoid overstimulating new growth or making plants lanky (lacking in foliage).
During the growing season, apply a heavy amount of slow-release fertilizer once or twice (spring and summer). Just be careful not to fertilize until the spring of the next year, when fresh growth starts.
As a result, plants won’t desire to grow taller because they won’t have any root energy reserves to fall back on.
Additionally, you’ll discover that it’s simpler to keep succulents little and that they’ll be more drought tolerant if you reduce watering.
Pick Your Succulent Carefully
By choosing the appropriate succulent from the beginning, you can easily manage how big it grows. Choose succulents that don’t get too huge, grow slowly, and are little.
Small succulents that are the greatest choices include:
Haworthia (Zebra Plant)
One of the most well-liked succulents is the Haworthia. This is due to the fact that they can grow to a range of sizes.
The lesser forms, such the Zebra Cactus (Haworthia tessellata), eventually only reach heights and widths of around two inches.
Zebra cacti don’t need a lot of water or soil to survive in their surroundings. They do, however, require a lot of sunshine each day in order for their leaves to produce more chlorophyll, giving them those eye-catching stripes.
Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks)
A collection of quickly growing plants is known as the Sempervivum. The rosette and the hen-and-chick plant are the two varieties of these plants.
The rosettes eventually reach a diameter of roughly an inch, while the chicks eventually reach a width of up to three inches.
You must be careful not to water sempervivums excessively or let their soil become too wet because they like dry conditions. They do, however, require sunlight, much like all succulents.
Lithops
A plant species known as the Lithops has two distinct appearances: the living stone and the pebble. These plants come in a variety of hues, but they all have the same modest size in common.
About every three weeks or so, Lithops prefers to be watered. However, if at all possible, try to avoid letting them remain submerged for too long.
Also, be careful not to overwater these succulents. In the absence of water, they won’t survive for very long before fading away.
Air Plants (Tillandsia sp.)
Despite being tiny and delicate, air plants can make the ideal complement to any succulent collection.
Since air plants don’t require soil to develop, you should place them right up against a surface covered with moss or other vegetation rather than in soil. Then, to prevent their leaves from shriveling up too much, be sure to spritz them with water once every two days.
Echeveria Minima
With the right care, these tiny plants may flourish in almost any environment and reach heights of up to three inches.
When growing succulents indoors or outdoors, bear in mind that Echeveria minima plants still require a lot of sunlight.
Depending on how dry it has been lately, it would be beneficial if you watered your echeverias once per week or two as well. Otherwise, they risk going extinct due to a shortage of water.
Sedum (Little Missy)
This miniature succulent is distinguished by its tiny size and brittle leaves. It will only reach a height of approximately an inch, making it ideal for placing on a desk or windowsill at work.
Throughout the warmer seasons of the year, the Sedum can also be grown outside (spring through fall). As long as there is enough sunlight, they don’t care how chilly it gets.
However, if it’s raining, be careful not to overwater them because wet roots may soon damage this little guy.
Where should leggy succulents be trimmed?
- The plant should be cut, leaving approximately an inch or so of stem at the base.
- For a day or two, or longer if your area is humid, leave the stem cuttings in a dry location away from direct sunshine to dry. Launder and seal the wound. To hasten the rooting process, it is optional to dip the cuttings in rooting hormone.
- Put the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix after the cut has healed. Perlite and a cactus mixture are my preferred combinations (1:1 solution). You can find soil and soil amendments here.
- Every few days or whenever the soil gets dry, mist or water the area.
- The stem cuttings usually take two weeks or longer to root.
- Avoid direct sunshine and keep watering every few days or whenever the soil starts to feel dry.
- When the plant reaches maturity, increase sunshine while reducing watering.
The portion of the plant from which the cuttings were taken will keep expanding and generating new growth. Rarely, the base will stop expanding and eventually disappear. However, if this occurs, hopefully you have already grown new plants from the stem cuttings.
Decide where to cut the plant. In order to conveniently put the plant you are cutting into soil and propagate it, you should ideally have at least half an inch of stem on the bottom of the plant.
When you cut the plant, make sure to salvage as many of the roots as possible. These already have roots sprouting, so they will thrive when replanted in soil.
Your Succulent Isn’t Getting Enough Light
All plants require light, but succulents particularly crave it. Your pal may be leggy if you don’t provide a sunny area where they can soak up the light.
Insufficient sunshine causes succulents to develop lengthy stems. They begin to turn and spread out in search of light during a process known as etiolation, which gives them a “leggy appearance with a long stem and smaller, spaced-out leaves.
It can be challenging to determine how much light your plant needs right immediately because every plant is unique. Try transferring the succulent to an area where it will receive more light if you find it starting to grow a long stem without adding more leaves. You might want to think about buying a tiny tabletop grow light if your house doesn’t have a place where the sun shines.
Can I cut my succulent’s stem?
Succulents require more than just sunlight and water to thrive. To encourage healthy growth, some individuals advise cutting a succulent’s leaves, stems, and roots. However, can you get away without trimming your succulents or is trimming truly necessary? Can you cut the leaves, stems, or roots of a succulent first?
A succulent’s roots, stems, and leaves can all be pruned. The major purpose of this is upkeep. Maintaining your plants can help them grow better, resist rot, and live longer. Succulents also require trimming to keep their shape and grow sturdy stems.
When to trim the roots, leaves, or stems, as well as what to do with the clippings, are all covered in this article. You will also learn the proper techniques for planting your clippings to begin cultivating new succulents.
Can you replace a succulent after cutting off the stem?
You can begin watering your succulent and cactus cuttings once the cut end has started to scab over. While mature succulents and cacti don’t require much watering, leaves and cuttings that you are trying to propagate do. They must be frequently watered without being overwatered.
Your succulent or cactus cuttings can be planted in a pot that drains well by burying the cut end, which is the rooting end, in the dirt. Make sure to remove any leaves that are lower on the stem if you are planting a succulent cutting. Leaves shouldn’t be buried, please. You may keep the soil moist after planting your cuttings without overwatering.
Laying your cuttings flat on the earth, with the cut end not contacting the soil, is another approach to help them begin to take root. After that, just water the soil to maintain its moisture and wait for your succulent or cactus cuttings to begin roots. This is a fantastic alternative if your clippings are weak.
You should try to put a succulent in the ground after you have cuttings rather than just leaves. It only has to be planted and watered for it to begin producing roots; another plant does not need to be grown.
Your cuttings should begin growing in two to three weeks if you keep the soil moist and take good care of them. The rate at which your roots grow will vary depending on a number of factors. Give your cuttings a little pull after two to four weeks to check if they have rooted. They are rooted if they are poking through the ground!